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By June Evins

In November, the Artificial Intelligence company Open AI released ChatGPT and DALL·E 2. Since then, these AI systems have become the focal point of discussions around the world as people question how such innovations will disrupt their futures. Simultaneously, there is rich debate about the ethics of using these platforms. 

ChatGPT search engine. Image credit: ChatGPT.

You might have heard about ChatGPT from its ability to create restaurant recommendations, pass the bar exam, or how it has already been banned by New York City Public Schools. So, what is ChatGPT, and why are so many people worried about what it holds for the future? To find the best answer, I decided to ask ChatGPT. 

The software shared that it is “an AI-powered language model that uses deep learning techniques to generate human-like responses to text-based inputs. It can perform a variety of tasks, such as answering questions, generating text, and even generating code.” 

ChatGPT has infinite possibilities for use and is growing and getting smarter by the day. This is exciting for some people but quite scary for others. People are questioning if this is the beginning of the AI revolution that has been the subject of science fiction for decades. Others are wondering what this means for the future of education and the workforce. 

One of the fundamental parts of primary education is learning how to write in various ways. Such learning provides skills for analysis, critical thinking, and how to reach a conclusion or solution. While your future job might not involve writing a five-paragraph analysis on the symbolism of the green light in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby (shout out to my English 10 teacher Mr. Follansbee) the skills that writing these essays teach you are universally important. The innovation of ChatGPT does not change the need for these skills but is prompting educators to figure out what steps they need to take for students to still learn these skills. The program still does not have the ability to write personal essays or speak about personal experiences. So the art of writing an essay is not fully doomed by this invention. 

I talked to Michael Nachbar, the Executive Director of Global Online Academy (GOA), Collegiate’s online partner school, about the conversations in education about ChatGPT.  He shared that “Some people believe the answer is more in-class writing assignments and traditional testing. Others believe this is going to catalyze a revolution in how teachers assess student learning. The approaches will evolve as these technologies become more ubiquitous and familiar.” Nachbar also compared the reactions to this as similar to when Google and the internet first became more prominent at the end of the 20th century. 

ChatGPT can also be utilized as a tool, especially in education. While many might use the platform for shortcuts, it can also be used to help you learn. One of the best ways to learn is to identify where you made an error, see the correct way to solve it, and try again. Nachbar said that a way these programs have the ability to improve the education system is that “every student now has access to a personal tutor. Students can ask ChatGPT to help them study for exams, or better understand a topic.” When used for growth, AI systems like ChatGPT can give resources and access to all students and help promote equality in public education, especially if the platform remains free. Nachbar also mentioned how the platform could be used to “differentiate materials for different learners,” adapting a concept or subject to the needs of each student. This could be beneficial for students with learning differences.

A rendition of a Collegiate Cougar mascot produced by AI graphic design tool DALL-E 2 Image credit: DALL-E 2 created by June Evins.

ChatGPT is also making waves in research fields, along with its endless possibilities for creation and idea generation. It is a disruptor in the field of search engine platforms such as Google. With ChatGPT, you can type in your question just as with Google, and rather than making you scroll through many links and ads for your answer, ChatGPT will give you the answer in a short paragraph. This has led to Google announcing its release of a ChatGPT rival called Bard. Other platforms are also not far behind in creating their own forms of AI. Other companies are also creating their own AI graphic design generators that rival Open AI’s DALL·E 2 software. Platforms like this spark even more possibilities for the implementation of these services into our daily lives. 

Is using AI generators ethical? This is what educators need to decide. Is it plagiarism if you are the one generating the question? Or are your ideas being worked out with the resources that you have at your disposal? In my senior advisory recently, we were having a discussion about Collegiate’s Honor Code, and we started talking about if using Chat GPT would be a violation of the Honor Code. If you were using it for research, we agreed it would not be a violation. Where we found ourselves stuck on was if it is plagiarism if we are not copying another human being’s body of work. Personally, I think that there is a line between using it for shortcuts and using it for innovation or as a tool. 

The integration of AI into education and our daily lives is imminent. AI software, like ChatGPT, is constantly adapting and evolving. The platform learns from the users, and the more we utilize it, the more it learns and the better it functions, similar to a developing brain. The makers are also constantly updating the software. However, there are still limitations. The bot will often ask clarifying questions about your prompt, and users need to often share the writing style or type of person answering the prompt to get their desired answer. Banning the use of the platform is only going to hinder us. We are moving as a society away from knowing answers or being able to figure out the answer but instead towards knowing how to ask the right questions. Rote memorization will be a skill of the past, and instead, you will need to be able to hypothesize, think creatively, and apply knowledge to new possibilities. 

Featured image credit: ChatGPT.